Switching mechanism.



. No. 846,382 PATENTED MAR; 5, 1907.

-' c. A. ANDERSON.

SWITCHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1906.

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A UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. ANDERSON, or SALINA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR 0E ONE-HALE TO JOHN ANDERSON, OF SALINA, KANSAS.

SWITCHING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

To a who/wit may concern.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. ANDER- soN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Salina, in the county of Saline and. State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switching Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switching mechanisms for telephone-exchanges, and has for its object the production of an efficient device of extreme simplicity.

The particular device illustrated is designed for use in party-line exchanges, though it is not necessarily restricted to use in that particular kind of place.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation with the device in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation with the device moved to another position, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the upper parts in section.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a permanent magnet of an inverted-U shape. At the center of this magnet and between its legs is pivotally supported an electromagnet B, preferably consisting of a single spool. The pivoting-point is at or near the upper end of the electromagnet,-and the lower end. hangs freely between the ends of the permanent magnet.

It will be evident that by sending a current through the electromagnet in one direction its lower pole will be given a positive magnetism and will be attracted to the negative pole of the permanent magnet, while by sending a current in the opposite direction through the electromagnet its lower pole Will be given a negative magnetism and be attracted to the positive pole of the permanent magnet.

The pivoting of the electromagnet permits its lower pole to Swing to either pole of the permanent magnetin response to appropriate impulses.

Secured in any convenient way to and moving with the electromagnet B is a lever C, having on its lower end a pawl C, which is adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchetwheel D. The lever 0 lies between springs G which are secured to the permanent magnet by means of a convenient bracket A. These springs act tohold the lever C, the pawl C, and the magnet B normally at midposition and to return them to mid-position after being moved as the result of an impulse.

The ratchet-wheel D is pivoted upon a bracket A secured to the magnet A, and is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the spring D. (Shown in Fig. 3.) Back of the ratchet-wheel D is a piece of insulation E E, in which is a contact-pin E, which projects through a slot D in the ratchet-w heel D.

Secured to the spindle of the ratchetwheel D is a contact-maker F, which is adapted to engage the contact-pin E when the wheel is advanced. The contact-maker F is adjustable and is secured in any desired poa party-line system, the contact-makers F of different switching mechanisms are so adjusted that each will require a diiierent number of steps of the wheel to cause contact with the associated contact-pin E.

On the bracket A is a holding-pawl H, having a projection or tail piece H, which is adjacent to the driving-pawl 0. Between the (driving-pawl C and the wheel D is a p When an electrical impulse is sent through the magnet B in one direction, the magnet swings to the right on its pivot, carrying the pawl C with it and advancing the wheel D from its normal position. An adjustable set-screw C limits the length of the movement, and the holding-pawl H retains the wheel in its advanced position. When the impulse ceases, the deflected spring C returns the magnet B and the pawl C to normal position. A second impulse will advance the ratchet-wheel a second step. When an impulse is sent through the magnet B in an opposite direction, the magnet and pawl move in the opposite direction. When this occurs, the driving end of the driving-pawl O rides over the pin C and clears the teeth of the wheel D, and at the same time the pawl C strikes the tailpiece H and lifts the holding-pawl H from the wheel. When this occurs, the spring D returns the wheel D and the contact-maker F to normal position. A set-screw D serves to make a fine adjustment of the normal position of these parts.

The switching mechanism described is particularly well adapted for use at the local stations of a party-line exchange in conjunction with the usual devices at such stations. Among the devices usually used at such stations is a signaling device of some kind operated by short impulses of comparatively high frequency, either direct or alternating. This switching mechanism may have its magnet B connected in the circuit or a branch of the circuit, which is used for the signaling device, and the switching mechanism will be unaffected by the impulses used for signaling. This is due to the fact that to move the switching mechanism the body of the magnet B must be made to swing on its pivot. The weight of the magnet makes this movement sluggish enough so that it will not respond to the short impulses used in signaling, but will respond to longer impulses used for operating purposes.

VVnat I claim is 1. In a switching mechanism, a permanent magnetin the form of an inverted U, an electromagnet having its upper end supported by a pivot, said pivot being connected to and supported by the central part of the permanent magnet and said electromagnet having its lower end adjacent to and between the poles of the permanent magnet, springs for normally holding the lower end of the electromagnet midway between the poles of the permanent magnet, a bracket secured to the lower end of the permanent magnet, a ratchet-wheel supported on said bracket, and a pawl secured to the lower end of the electromagnet and arranged to engage said ratchet-wheel.

2. In a switching mechanism, a permanent magnet in the form of an inverted U, a pivot secured to the upper end of said permanent magnet and located between the legs thereof, an electromagnet having its upper end supported by said pivot and having its lower end normally resting midway between the poles of the electromagnet, a bracket secured to the lower end of the permanent magnet, a ratchet-wheel supported on said bracket, a spring tending to normally hold said wheel at its normal position, a screw by which the normal position of the Wheel is adjusted, and a pawl secured to the lower end of the electromagnet and arranged to engage said ratchetwheel.

3. In a switching mechanism, a permanent magnet in the form of an inverted U, an electromagnet having its upper end pivotally supported at the upper end of the permanent magnet and having its lower end between the poles of the permanent magnet, springs acting to normally hold the lower end of the electromagnet midway between the poles of the permanent magnet but arranged to permit such lower end to be moved toward either pole, abracket secured to the lower end of the permanent magnet, a ratchet-wheel sup ported on said bracket, a spring acting to return said wheel to its normal position after being moved, a pawl carried by the lower end of the electromagnet and serving to advance said wheel when the electromagnet is moved toward one pole of said permanent magnet, a holding-pawl pivoted to said bracket, and a projection extending from said holding-pawl and so arranged that a movement of the lower end of the electromagnet toward the opposite pole of the permanent magnet will release said holding-pawl from said wheel.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 16th day of January, 1906.

CLARENCE A. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

IIOWARD A. REDFIELD, CASPER L. REDFIELD. 

